Aftermath
by ReesesPieces2112
Summary: After the events of Turn, Turn, Turn. Skye faces off with Ward, demanding he just pull the trigger and put her out of her misery... Story's gotta be better than the summary. I'm not very good at summary's. Rating may change.
1. Just Do it!

After joining S.H.I.E.L.D. she thought everything would change and given recent events, she knew they did. They had found her, nurtured her, trained her, and made her who she was. She loved helping. She loved that she learned more than she ever thought she could working along side some of the best people. People she knew she couldn't live without, people she now considered family.

Looking around her, Skye let out a small whimper as she looked to her left and saw Coulson unconscious. She looked to her right and saw Jemma leaning over Fitz's body and crying, trying to get him to open his eyes. Behind her, she heard May struggling against John Garrett. She turned her head to lock eyes with the man she had trusted the most.

There was a flash of guilt in Grant Ward's eyes as he aimed his gun at Skye's stomach, the place where she had been shot not too long ago. He remembered that night; Quinn had orders from Garrett to shoot her and Ward recalled the burning anger he had felt in his chest when he saw her body afterwards. He was loyal to Garrett and he had done everything that was asked, but never had he wanted to kill a man so desperately.

"Don't make me do this, Skye." Ward warned her, cocking his gun and planting his feet firmly as a sign of seriousness.

Skye sniffled, straightened her back, and held her head high; the way she normally did when she would defy him in the smart-ass way that only she could. "Do it."

His eyes shifted from her to his mentor and ex-lover fighting behind her. "What?"

"Shoot me." She dared, stretching her arms out and screaming, "End it!"

The sound of her voice echoing through the deck of the plane had everyone stop and turn to the sight of a strong willed woman and her former S.O.

"Skye!" May shouted, becoming momentarily distracted enough to let Garrett restrain her. "What are you doing?!"

"You might have killed Fitz!" Skye screamed at Ward. "You're trying to kill Coulson! You've got the best skilled agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a headlock, and lord only knows what you'll to do to Simmons! You've taken everything from me, Ward! So just do it, just shoot me!"

Ward looked to Garrett for guidance, but was met with a look of astonishment on his mentor's face. The gun in his hand began to shake and it took him a moment to realize he had been trembling; he was nervous. For the first time in a long time, he was too edgy to pull the trigger on someone who should mean nothing to him. "Skye…"

"What?" She laughed through her tears. "It's not like I haven't been abandoned before. It's not like I don't know what it's like to have something so precious snatched away from you. It's not like the only thing I've ever hope for was a family! Do it!"

"Do it, Ward." Garrett ordered from behind her. "She's chosen her side, no mercy."

"Sir…" Ward whispered; it hadn't occurred to him just how much Skye would resist. It hadn't even crossed his mind how devoted to Coulson she'd stay.

"No mercy!" Garrett repeated, squeezing May, who was trying everything she could to get out of his grip because a panic had set in once she realized Skye was about to be killed…again.

"Ward, no!" Jemma sobbed from her spot next to Fitz. "Don't do this!"

"Now!" Skye screamed at the top of her lungs, demanding Ward pull that trigger and put her out of her misery.

Before Ward could blink, Garrett had thrown May to the side and drawn his own gun, aiming right at Skye's back. He lowered his weapon and shot forward, tackling her to the ground as the bullet ricocheted off one of the bunkers.

"Ward!" Garrett roared, falling flat on his back as May had kicked him out from under his feet sliding on her knees and striking his head several times out of anger.

Despite his treacherous actions Skye had clung to Ward with relief and fear; she was thankful that he hadn't been the one to shoot at her, but worried he'd try again.

"Skye?" Ward panted, pushing the hair from her face and cupping her cheek while his other hand searched for any bullet holes on her body.

She smiled up at him softly, taking the hand on her cheek and twisting it to flip them over and punched him hard enough to knock him out.

"Wow." May said from above her, helping Coulson keep his balance. "I guess all that training really did do you some good. Jemma, how's Fitz?"

"He's breathing." Jemma sniffled, letting her head drop against his chest as uncontrollable tears began again.

Skye rose from Ward's body carefully; if he were to wake up he'd easily take her down.

Everything that happened left her shaky; Ward was the traitor out of all of them. He had pretended to care when she was on the brink of death and still pretended to care when she was just within reach of death once again. She was aware that everything he will ever do will be double sided. Anything he says from now on will be a lie, anything he does from now will be a lie, every emotion he'll ever show…will be a lie.

Grant Ward will no longer be her concern. She'll let Coulson handle it, she'll face him once to say her peace, and she'll walk away like he means nothing. The difficulty in her plan will be the pretending. As much as she hates it, she still cares for him, still believes in him. But she couldn't. He had hurt the people she cared for the most and he couldn't be forgiven…ever.

* * *

**I'm not sure if I'll leave it as a one-shot or if I'll add to it. Let me know what you think I should do. (:**

**Much love,**

**ReesesPieces2112**


	2. Liar

Melinda May stood across from Grant Ward with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. She observed him; she had expected him to be staring her down, silently challenging her. But the quiet man in the chair had her confused. He was looking down at his cuffed hands and wringing them nervously.

"May?" Skye knocked, opening the door and stepping inside. "Fitz is awake."

May nodded and uncrossed her arms before turning to leave. "You gonna be okay here?"

"I'll be fine." Skye assured with a nod, closing the door on May's back. She moved to stand in front of Ward.

"Skye!" Ward tried to shoot out of his seat but was disappointed when his cuffs caught and kept him in place. He didn't miss the way she had shrunk back at his attempt and it made his stomach turn; she had trusted him, she had felt safe with him, but he ruined that. She was afraid of him now…

"You're pathetic." She said bluntly. "You tried to kill Coulson. He's in critical condition. If he dies…I will hate you like you've never known."

"You can't hate me more than I hate myself." He seethed, clenching his hands and letting the reality of Skye's hatred sink in.

"How can a loyal member of Hydra hate himself?" She asked with sarcasm. "How can a guy who believes he'll have it all hate himself? How can a guy with so much confidence and ignorance hate who he is?!"

"I hate myself for hurting you, Skye!" He roared, slamming his hands on the table. "I joined Hydra because I believed I was doing something right. I know now that I was so wrong."

"You've never been more wrong." She snapped; she wanted to keep her emotions in check. She wanted to be able to mask her features as well as May, but little by little her anger was seeping through and she knew it meant that her sympathy for him would soon follow. She turned to leave.

"Skye, wait!" Ward pleaded. "I _am _sorry, Skye."

"Sorry for what?!" Skye turned to him, tears brimming her eyes. "Sorry for pretending to train me? Sorry for acting like you cared when I was in danger? Sorry for sleeping with May when you knew it would hurt me?! What, Ward?! What are you sorry for?!"

He sucked in a sharp breath when the tears began to flow, knowing he was the cause. "Sk-."

"Shut up!" She slammed her hands on the table so hard that her hands stung. "You never gave a damn about me! You never cared about Coulson, Jemma, Fitz, or May! When Jemma jumped out of the plane to save us, you jumping after her was just an act, wasn't it? When you and Fitz went on that mission, you making sure he got back safe was just pretend, wasn't it? When I got shot and almost died, you didn't really care, did you?! No! Because you were behind _all _of it!"

"Skye, please?" Ward clenched his jaw, trying his best to keep his own tears from falling.

"_You_'_re _the reason I almost died! _You_'_re _the reason Coulson was tortured! It's _your _fault! All of it!" Skye punched the table. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s collapse was all on you! Director Fury's death should be on _your _conscious and if Coulson dies, so will his! You're so full of it, Ward!" She dropped her head, hearing her tears hit the metal table. "I…can't. I can't hate you…no matter how hard I try. I want to. I want to hate you with every fiber of my being, but I can't."

Ward looked down at the table to see blood leaking through her fingers, mixing with her tears. He reached for her hand, taking her by surprise when he ran his fingers across her bruised and bloody knuckles. "Skye." He whispered, dropping his head to rest against her hand. "It wasn't an act."

"What?"

"None of it was an act." He squeezed her fingers gently. "I care for Jemma. I worry about Fitz. I look up to Coulson. I felt something for May. I get scared whenever you're not in my sight. None of it was pretend. They day you got shot, my heart stopped beating. I thought I'd lose you. I wanted to kill Quinn but I couldn't because we were both under Garrett's orders, but that doesn't mean I didn't want to rip his head off. I know sleeping with May hurt you, but I did it because I was starting to feel something for you, Skye. I did it t o push you away because I knew what the outcome would be in the end."

Skye shook her head and pulled her hand from his grasp, choking back her tears. "Goodbye, Ward."

"Skye…" Ward tried to say more but she slammed the door on her way out, not wanting to hear more of his lies.

Once outside, Skye was surprised to find herself being pulled into someone's arms. The second they wrapped around her in a hug, she broke down. She wanted to think it was silly, she wanted to believe she was crying for Coulson, but she couldn't and she wasn't. She was upset because the one man she trusted more than Coulson had betrayed them; he had been the reason she was now on the verge of losing the one and only family she knew. Her chest hurt, her eyes were stinging, and her body was exhausted as she slumped in the arms of Melinda May.

May never coddled anyone. She always believed people had to be able to set aside their emotions to get the job done. She was stubborn and didn't believe in sympathy for mistakes. But right now, the only other person she had ever seen so broken was Coulson, but he was never conscious of it. Skye, on the other hand, was very aware of what was happening. She was in pain, and not the physical kind like May had endured every so often. May held Skye close as they slumped to the floor, letting her get everything out now so she could hopefully rest later. Whether Skye knew it or not, she really saved all of them yet again and May was grateful.

Ward could hear the violent sobs coming from the other end of the interrogation room and he ran his hands over his face. The only person who would ever cry for him like that was Skye and he knew it. She had been right to blame him for all that was happening and he knew if Coulson died, she'd only resent him so much that she'd probably try to kill him if she could, and he just might let her. It was no lie when he said he cared about her but he knew she'd never believe it. He didn't pretend to train her, it was real; he had been so afraid of something happening to her that he didn't realize he was the only danger.


	3. I Needed You to Know

After carefully putting Skye back in her bunk, May decided it was time to pay a visit to the cause.

Ward, whose head had been leaning on the table, shot straight up as he heard the interrogation room door squeak open. Seeing May walk through the door, his shoulders slumped forward and he felt silly for thinking it would actually be Skye. "I don't need you to tell me I'm an idiot, May."

"No." May agreed. "But it's not going to stop me." She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall across from him. "How did it feel?"

"What?"

"How did it feel listening to the girl who looks up to you…break?"

"Shut up!" He growled, glaring at her.

"How does it feel…" She continued, uncrossing her arms and stepping forward. "…knowing the girl you said you'd protect, almost died today?"

"May." He warned as he balled his hands into fists.

"How does it feel, Ward, knowing that after today, you'll be lucky if she ever so much as _thinks_ of you again?!" May screamed at him, taking her fighting stance when he shot up and slammed his hands on the table.

"I said shut up!" Ward roared, dropping his head to look at his feet. "Please, May…just…shut up."

She let her hands fall, observing him and taking note of the defeated way his head hung, the exhausted look on his face, and the red that rimmed his eyes…had he been crying?

Ward let out a breath of air and let his body fall onto the cold, hard chair. "I…I just want to see her, May, please?"

"She doesn't want to see you." May emphasized. "In case you didn't hear."

She watched him tense at her crack about Skye's wailing just outside the interrogation room; she knew he heard them, it's why she didn't move Skye to her bunk earlier. She wanted Ward to suffer and having seen his reaction when Skye had been shot, she knew he cared for Skye even with HYDRA standing in between them.

"I know." He whispered. "She doesn't have to talk to me, she doesn't have to be near me, May, just let me see her."

"No." May made her way to the door, opening it but hesitating to walk out, so she turned to him. "Let's say in some crazy alternate universe, I believed you…what did you plan on telling Skye?"

Ward shook his head; in no way was he about to share with May the things he wanted to tell Skye. Then again, it might be his only hope of seeing her… he shook his head, no. No, he won't do it.

"Fine." May glared at him slightly, walking out the door.

"Wait!" He pleaded, standing from his chair as best as he could. "I know you don't want to and it's a stupid thing to ask, but you just have to trust me. Do you honestly want to know what I'd say to Skye?"

Melinda May had never been more unsure than right now; there was a sincerity in Ward's eyes and actions that makes a part of her believe him, but he was a master at coercion, it was his job. Did she want to know what was going to be said to Skye?

Not really. Her and Ward were lovers and that was all, but something inside her told her that she really didn't need to hear the intimacy of whatever Ward wanted to tell Skye.

She looked at Ward, crossing the room with a key in hand and unlocked the chains holding him to the table and pulled him up roughly. Keeping his hands cuffed, May led him from the interrogation room to Skye's bunk, turning him to face her, she warned, "I won't hesitate to you kill. Just because Skye didn't let me do it when we got on the plane, doesn't mean I won't do it now."

* * *

Grant Ward watched Skye No-Last-Name writhe around in her bed, obviously having a nightmare; had this been a few weeks ago, he'd have woken her and held her close, but this wasn't a few weeks ago and he couldn't get any closer than he already was.

Skye whimpered in her sleep. Her dream seemed all too real and yet, she couldn't wake herself up; _She was on the edge of a cliff_, _facing off with a gun wielding Ward yet again_. _He was talking to her but she couldn_'_t make out what he was saying_, _it looked somewhere along the lines of _'_I_'_m sorry_' _before he raised his gun and done what she had pleaded for him to do on the plane_; _he pulled the trigger_. _Skye felt the bullet tear through her torso as her body began falling back_.

She bolted up, breathing heavily, sweating, and shaking. Her focus was hazy but she could make out the tall figure in her bunker anywhere. She threw her blankets off her legs and moved quickly, a little more than Ward had anticipated.

He reached for her, grabbing her by the waist and trying to keep her calm as she struggled against him. "Skye!"

"May!" Skye screamed helplessly; how did he get free? What did he need that he had come back for her? "May!"

May stood outside Skye's bunk with a small monitor in her hands; Ward had agreed to wear a small camera on the chest of his black v-neck. She knew Skye wasn't in danger…at the moment, but she still had to stop herself from springing to action when she heard Skye screaming.

"May!" Skye cried, panicking because she didn't understand why May hadn't gotten there yet. "May!"

"Skye, please!" Ward turned them and pushed her against the wall in her bunker.

The space was already too small for Skye's comfort, but having Ward there pressed against her, she didn't have much room to even wiggle around.

"Skye." Ward panted, locking her in his embrace. "Skye, listen to me, please?"

"No." She moved to punch him, but he wasn't going to let her surprise him again.

Ward grabbed her arm and used his body to mold hers into the wall with both arms behind her back. "Skye, stop it!"

"Go to hell!"

"You were never supposed to get hurt!" He shouted and felt her movements still immediately, taking the opportunity to continue. "Yes, I knew Garrett's plan but I swear to God you were never supposed to get hurt. Had I known what would have happened, I would have stopped it, Skye, I would have protected you like I said I would. I am so sorry, Skye, I never meant for you to get shot. It's weighed on my mind every day, the worry I felt was real, the pain I felt was real, Skye. What I feel for you is one hundred percent real."

Skye looked to the side, taking in his confession but refusing to believe he means any of it. There was always a part of her that wished he would always feel something for her, but there was a new part of her that wouldn't allow her to let him in.

"You don't have to believe me." He dropped his head against her shoulder and felt her tense, but he didn't care. "I just needed you to know."

"Now I do." She kept her tone distant and cold. "Can you let me go now?"

"Ward." May appeared in Skye's bunk, having heard the question and waiting for him to loosen his hold. "Now."

Ward nodded and stepped away from the fragile girl in front of him, nodding a thank you to May as he moved to leave.

Skey held her breath, trying to hold back her tears and keep herself from following him. She slammed her hand against the wall and sprinted for Ward, turning him abruptly and bringing his head down to hers.

He welcomed her kiss, tangling his fingers in her hair while his other arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground.

May sighed heavily and rolled her eyes; when Coulson wakes up, he is going to kill her. "Ward, Skye."

Skye felt her feet touch the floor and pulled back, looking up at Ward's eyes but she didn't turn from him. "Yeah?"

"I need to check on Coulson." May put a hand on Skye's shoulder. "I need to take Ward back to the interrogation room and when Coulson wakes up, he'll decide where to go from there."

* * *

**I'm not gonna lie, guys, I thought (for a split second) that Ward really didn't care about Skye, but then he told Garrett that her getting shot wasn't part of the plan and I could see he was genuinely worried for her...**

**But then came the lie detector scene...now I'm not sure what to think...**

**Just give me SkyeWard, that's all I ask!**


End file.
